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Privacy Policy Overview
Why?
Financial companies choose how they share your personal information. Federal law gives consumers the right to limit some but not all sharing. Federal law also requires us to tell you how we collect, share and protect your personal information. Please read this notice carefully to understand what we do.
What?
The types of personal information we collect and share depend on the product or service you have with us. This information can include:
- Social Security number
- Information you provide on your application for insurance coverage, such as your name, address, telephone number, date of birth and occupation
- Information gathered from you as our insured, your payment history, type of coverage you have, underwriting information, and claims information
- Credit card or bank account information
- Mortgage information
- Information from your visits to www.citizensfla.com
When you are no longer our customer, your information will be retained in accordance with Citizens’ records retention schedule. While your information is retained, it may continue to be shared as described in this notice.
How?
All financial companies need to share customers' personal information to run their everyday business. Citizens uses your personal information only as authorized or required by law and as necessary to provide our products and services to you. In the section below, we list the reasons financial companies can share their customers' personal information, the reasons Citizens chooses to share and whether you can limit this sharing.
For our everyday business purposes
We share with nonaffiliates to assist us to process your transactions, underwrite and/or rate your policy, service your policy, administer claims, comply with authorized depopulation programs, respond to court orders and legal investigations, and when permitted by federal or state law.
For our marketing purposes
To offer our products and services to you
For joint marketing with other financial companies
For our affiliates' everyday business purposes
Information about your transactions and experiences
Information about your creditworthiness
For non affiliates to market to you
Questions?
Call 866.411.2742; Deaf/Hard of Hearing: 800.955.8771 (TTY) or 800.955.8770 (Voice); or go to www.citizensfla.com
How does Citizens protect my personal information?
To protect your personal information from unauthorized access and use, we use security measures that comply with federal law. These measures include computer safeguards and secured files and buildings. Our employees and vendors are authorized to access information only for valid business reasons. They must agree in writing to maintain the confidentiality of non public personal information. We do not share medical information unless authorized by you or as required by law.
How does Citizens collect my personal information?
We collect your personal information, for example, when:
- You apply for insurance
- We process your application
- You pay insurance premiums
- You give us your contact information
- You give information to your agent or property inspector
- You file an insurance claim (or if a claim is made against you)
- You show us your government-issued ID or driver's license
- You visit Citizens' website if you voluntarily provide the information
We also collect information from other companies, such as your loss history.
Why can't I limit all sharing?
Federal law gives you the right to limit only:
- Sharing for affiliates' everyday business purposes – information about your creditworthiness
- Affiliates from using your information to market to you
- Sharing for nonaffiliates to market to you
State law and individual companies may give you additional rights to limit sharing. See below for more on your rights under state law.
Affiliates
These are companies related by common ownership or control. They can be financial and nonfinancial companies.
- Citizens has no affiliates
Nonaffiliates
Companies not related by common ownership or control. They can be financial or nonfinancial. Nonaffiliates we share with can include:
- Independent insurance agents and agencies
- Independent adjusters or claims representatives
- Inspection companies
- Auditors
- Insurance support organizations
- Attorneys, courts and government agencies
Joint marketing
This is a formal agreement between nonaffiliated financial companies that together market financial products or services to you.
- Citizens does not jointly market
State Law
The Florida public records law requires that all information received by a state entity be made available to anyone upon request, including e-mail addresses, unless the information is subject to a specific statutory exemption.
Public Records Custodian
The Public Records Custodian can be contacted at:
Public Records Custodian
Citizens Property Insurance Corporation
2101 Maryland Circle
Tallahassee, FL 32303
RecordsRequest@citizensfla.com
Introduction
Section 119.071(5), Florida Statutes, governs the collection of Social Security numbers by certain government entities, including Citizens. Citizens collects Social Security numbers only in cases where it is specifically authorized to do so or when it is imperative for performance of Citizens’ duties. To protect your identity, Citizens secures your Social Security number from unauthorized access and strictly prohibits the release of your Social Security number to unauthorized parties contrary to state or federal law.
How are Social Security numbers used to underwrite and service my policy?
Social Security numbers are collected from prospective policyholders during the underwriting process for the following purposes:
- Obtaining loss history reports for underwriting purposes
- Implementing the enhanced Property Insurance Clearinghouse application authorized by paragraph 627.3518(3)(e), Florida Statutes
- Reporting unclaimed property to state government agencies
- Processing insurance claims
- Ensuring compliance with US Department of Treasury Office of Foreign Asset Control requirements
How are Social Security numbers used in the agent appointment process?
Citizens collects Social Security numbers from agents applying to write Citizens insurance during the agent appointment process. Purposes for collection are:
- Processing eligibility for appointment with Citizens
- Verifying agent standing with the Florida Department of Financial Services
- Ensuring compliance with the U.S. Department of Treasury Office of Foreign Asset Control requirements
How are Social Security numbers used in purchasing and payment processing?
Citizens does not intentionally collect Social Security numbers from vendors, prospective vendors or payees.
Citizens requires all vendors and prospective vendors to register with Citizens prior to pursuing a contract. Citizens also requires that all entities receiving payments from Citizens complete the appropriate forms for reporting to the Internal Revenue Service. When registering or completing forms, Citizens strongly recommends using a Federal Employment Identification Number (FEIN) rather than a Social Security number. Using an FEIN prevents the association of vendor or payee information with the protected personal information linked to Social Security numbers. FEIN numbers can be obtained at no cost through the www.IRS.gov website.
In the event a vendor, prospective vendor or payee decides to use a Social Security number instead of an FEIN, it may be used for the purposes of:
- Verifying identity of the vendor or payment recipient
- Maintaining Citizens’ vendor database
- Processing of payments
- Tax reporting to governmental agencies
- Office of Foreign Asset Control requirements
Below summarizes the purposes for which Citizens collects Social Security numbers (or in the case of purchasing and payment processing, FEINs) and the laws and regulations under which collection is authorized or required. It also identifies whether collection is authorized by statute or mandatory for the performance of Citizens’ duties and responsibilities as prescribed by law.